The Senate reconvened at 10:00 A.M. after voting last night to advance a slimmed-down version of its bill designed to boost U.S. semiconductor competition with China. The bill cleared a key procedural hurdle Tuesday evening in a 64-34 vote even as lawmakers worked to finish various sections of the legislation. The bill, which would provide about $50 billion in subsidies to bolster U.S. computer chip manufacturing, is a multifaceted bipartisan effort that combines the interests of several committees, ranging from national security to economics. The Senate’s procedural step forward on Tuesday paves the way for the chamber to hold a vote on final passage later this week or early next week. The bill would then travel to the House for passage before it would head to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature into law.
For today, the Senate will resume consideration of the nomination of Gregory Williams to be district judge for the District of Delaware and the nomination of Natasha C. Merle to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York.
The House convened at 10:00 A.M. and is completing consideration of H.R. 8294 – Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act of 2023. The House has completed debate through Democratic En Bloc #6 and will resume amendment debate, beginning with Bipartisan En Bloc #7.
A full list of amendments can be found here and consideration of amendments can be tracked here.
This morning, Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska addressed Congress to give an update on the security, economic and humanitarian conditions on the ground in Ukraine. The remarks will come less than two months after Congress approved a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine in May, which included $20 billion in military aid, nearly $8 billion in economic aid, nearly $5 billion in global food aid and more than $1 billion in combined support for refugees. Zelenska urged lawmakers to send more weapons to her homeland as it repels Russia’s full-scale invasion. The address to Congress follows her meeting with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden at the White House on Tuesday.
Finally, President Joe Biden will announce new actions on climate change that he can take on his own just days after Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) quashed hopes for a sweeping legislative package of new environmental programs this year. Biden is to unveil the latest efforts during a visit on Wednesday to a former coal-fired power plant in Somerset, Massachusetts, that is shifting to offshore wind manufacturing. It’s the embodiment of the transition to clean energy that Biden is seeking but has struggled to realize in the first 18 months of his presidency. Wednesday’s executive actions include new initiatives to bolster the domestic offshore wind industry as well as efforts to help communities cope with soaring temperatures through programs administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services. The actions that Biden announces on Wednesday will not include a national emergency declaration to address the climate crisis — something that has been sought by activists and Democratic lawmakers, however, White House officials have said the option remains under consideration. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday declined to outline a timetable for a decision aside from saying no such order would be issued this week.
